The Selection
by Regnatrixa
Summary: Crown Prince Will Herondale has to choose a wife through the clever plan set by his parents: The Selection. As he gets to know all the women chosen for The Selection, there is one particular girl that stands out: Tessa. As the Selection goes on, love blossoms for Will in many different ways. Then a secret is revealed. One that shakes the foundation of life for many people.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: All the characters belong to Cassandra Clare. The title and basic idea belongs to Kiera Cass. This story will not necessarily follow the events of ****The Selection****. It will although have snippets of elements from the ****Infernal Devices**** trilogy.**

Will was sitting in his secret hiding space. In no time, someone would find him. Probably Jem.

Will was the Crown Prince of Idris. Right now, he was hiding because his parents, King Edmund and Queen Linette, had summoned him. When his parents summoned him, something was wrong. Always. When he had broken a priceless crystal vase at the age seven, his parents had summoned him. When he was five, he had smuggled a monkey into the Palace. Before that, well, you could get the idea.

He was now eighteen, but Will still could not help feeling nervous. That was why he was hiding. His best mate, Jem, knew of this place and would probably find him soon. His _parabatai _knew everything about him.

In Idris, the nobility were called the Shadowhunters. Why they were called it, Will did not know. Something about an angel blessing them and whatnot. Special bonds between two Shadowhunters were called the _parabatai_. It was an old ritual, and the traditions of the ceremony went back centuries. It was however, not open to mundanes, the ordinary citizens of Idris, and your qualification for a _parabatai _closed after the age of eighteen.

Some kings did not have a _parabatai_. Will's father did not. But when Will would take the throne, Jem's family, the Carstairs, would become the _parabatai_ family, the second most powerful family in Idris. If anything happened to the royal family, the _parabatai_ family would rule.

There were a lot of Shadowhunter families in Idris, but some were scattered across the world. You had to be born into a Shadowhunter family to be a Shadowhunter. A mundane could become a Shadowhunter through something called the Ascension, but you had to be capable of certain qualities and complete all sorts of training.

But for all he knew, there was nothing special about the Shadowhunters. They were just…. people. Breathing and bleeding with the rest of the world. There was although a legend that Shadowhunters were once mythical warriors, but it was all a silly story. Parents often told stories about them to their children.

There was a creak. Will jumped, then banged his head on the roof. His "secret hiding space" was a large closet. When Will was younger, he and Jem had often played here. Sometimes Cecily, his younger sister, tagged along.

Will swore under his breath. Jem would really find him now. And he did.

The door swung open and a burst of light came through. Jem and his silvery features peeked in.

His silver hair and eyes were due to an illness. Will promised him one day that when he became King, he would find the cure. Jem just laughed and nudged him affectionately.

But he would. One day, Will would find the cure. And make sure that Jem would never, ever, leave him.

Currently, Jem was angry.

"Come out of that closet right now William!" he snapped.

Will obediently came out.

"What are you, a baby?" Jem asked, irritated.

Will indignantly fired back. "You know Jem how I fear when my parents summon me. Something always bad happens. But not as much as ducks," he added the last part with a shudder.

Jem visibly softened, but still retained a scowl. He then replied, "I actually think you can handle what your parents are going to say to you. They already filled me in." Jem looked sideways at him. "Or not."

Will immediately started ranting. "How could you do that to me James?! Betrayal! Sacrilege! Blasphemy! Heresy! Abuse!" Will gasped theatrically. You duck lover!"

Jem sighed. He gracefully pulled Will to his feet. The he dragged the Prince to the Great Hall, while the Prince was still muttering to himself.

The Great Hall was beautiful. It was lined with white marble columns with a thin transparent gold layer. Embroidered gold, purple, and white curtains covered the vast windows across the room. In between each window, there was a portrait of a past Shadowhunter King. On the other side of the Hall, there were the past Shadowhunter Queens. They all were majestic.

At the end of the Hall, there were two magnificent thrones. Carved out of a material only available to Shadowhunters, the _adamas_ glittered.

The room was devoid of people, except for his parents and sister. That made Will even more nervous.

Will's parents, King Edmund and Queen Linette looked at Will sternly. The King was still handsome, even with some graying hairs. The Queen's beauty was still praised by the people, and her striking violet blue eyes, the ones her children had inherited, were still as vibrant as they were in her youth. They were both dressed in dark red, almost crimson robes with strange little black marks. No one knew what they were, but they were traditional.

Next to them stood Cecily, Will's younger sister. She was fifteen. There had been a older sister, Ella, who was the Crown Princess and would have ruled after the King's death. She had died though, five years ago, under mysterious circumstances still unknown to Will.

It was a tragic time at her death. Will himself was knocked unconscious after the incident and had no memory of what had happened. But he was certain he had played some kind of part in her death. Then he had run away, only to come back because he realized he then would be the heir to the throne.

Cecily looked at him pityingly. As something hellish was about to happen. Jem had looked the same way. Something was really off.

His father cleared his throat.

"Yes Father?" Will asked.

He was just about to speak when the Queen interrupted.

"Goodness William," she said sternly. "Judging by your rumpled clothing and messy hair, you hid in that closet. Will you ever get rid of that habit? I even had to send poor Jem to find you." Will felt like a little boy who had trampled mud over his mother's best silks.

Jem smiled at Queen Linette. "It was a pleasure to be of task Your Majesty."

Will glared at Jem. Jem grinned at Will.

"I cannot simply remember why we are _parabatai_," Will said.

Jem laughed. "His Most Royal Highness cannot live without me. He would simply die of excess pride and brashness without me having to rein him in."

Everyone started laughing. This went on until Will's father started to talk again.

"Will," he began, casting a secret look at his wife. "We think it is time for you to-"

He was yet again interrupted. This time by Cecily. She ran down the steps that led to the thrones and sped over to Will and Jem. She almost tripped over her skirts.

"Oh Will!" she cried. She looked at him dead in the eye. "Mother and Father have this dreadful idea of parading you across Idris in search for a wife!"

Will looked even more surprised. He swung his arms around in indignation and hit Jem in the eye.

"Owwww…" he yelped.

"Sorry," Will reached up to look, but Jem batted his hand away.

King Edmund, now severely annoyed from being interrupted over and over, stood up.

"As Cecily was saying," he said giving her a dark look. "Your mother and I agree it is time for you to find your wife, your Crown Princess, and your future Queen."

Queen Linette stifled a sob. "My little boy, all grown up," A tear fell out of her eye.

"Mam!"

This came from Will. "Mam" was the informal term he and Cecily called their mother. "Papa" was what they called their father.

Cecily ran back to her mother. "Don't worry Mam. When Will has found his wife and is frolicking with her and ignoring the rest of us, I'll be there for you," she said loyally.

The Queen stopped her tears and caressed Cecily lightly.

Will snorted.

The King sighed. "Back to business. All the eligible women in the kingdom, mundane and Shadowhunter alike, were tested for two weeks. Then thirty-five of them were chosen, and soon they will be sent to the Palace here. From then on, you will eliminate them until one is left. That woman will be your bride."

Will rubbed his head. This was too much to take. "How will the eligible women be tested? What if they all hate me? What if-"

In synchronization, Jem smacked him lightly and Cecily snorted.

"Who would hate Prince Will Herondale? The dashing heir to the throne?" Cecily asked mockingly.

"More like they would throw themselves at you. You would be quite the ladies' man," said Jem.

Will tossed his head back dramatically. "Quite right," he said, his wild curls bouncing around.

King Edmund sighed once more. "The women were chosen based on their basic manner etiquette, whether they have the potential of ruling Idris alongside you, and many other factors."

"So I have no say in this at all?" Will demanded.

The King pursed his lips. "You choose the final woman Will. I trust that she and you would at least love each other."

Cecily snorted again. "They would probably all love Will the moment they lay eyes on him."

Before Will could defend himself, the doors to the Great Hall banged open. In came a small petite woman whom Will recognized as Lady Charlotte Branwell. She was one of his father's most trusted advisors. It was an extraordinary job for a woman in this time period, but there was the fact that she and her husband were Shadowhunters.

There was even talk that Lady Charlotte might become the next Consul, the head of the Royal Council, which was the group of Shadowhunters who King Edmund relied heavily on. The current Consul, Josiah Wayland, was slowly losing the King's favor. Will never really liked him either.

Charlotte made a brief curtsy to the King and Queen before saying, "I trust that His Highness knows everything now Your Majesties?"

Queen Linette smiled at her. She admired Charlotte for being a strong woman and the feeling was mutual. "Will has taken the news…..alright."

The King snorted. Then he asked Charlotte. "Is there anything you need?"

She nodded. "Yes Your Majesty. I have the final papers of thirty five women selected." She handed the papers to the King.

Will looked confused. "Wait, so it was already going on and I did not know?"

"You did not notice? How typical. Girls all over Idris were jumping up and down with excitement. Who knows what goes in that head of yours," said Cecily sarcastically.

The Queen shushed Cecily while the King read the paper out loud.

_In the year 1878 of our Lord,_

_Our glorious King Edmund and Queen Linette Herondale of Idris,_

_has decreed that their son, Crown Prince William Owen Herondale,_

_next in line for the throne,_

_has reached of age of marriage._

_For the sake of a new and diverse Princess,_

_the King and Queen has developed a process,_

_where thirty-five young women are chosen._

_From then on, _

_Our Prince will eliminate the women,_

_Until eventually, he shall have chose his wife,_

_Crown Princess,_

_And the future Queen of Idris._

_This process will be called_

_The Selection._

_The Final List of the Selection_

_Mary Adriano_

_Eleanor Aquitaine_

_Emma Bayliss_

_Corona Beapatrix_

_Camille Belcourt_

_Lady Anastasia Bellefleur_

_Sybil Bransquene_

_Caroline Cathers_

_Sophia Collins_

_Virginia Darunal_

_Magdalene Fir_

_Abigail Floresico_

_Genevieve Garvora_

_Evangeline Giovanni_

_Theresa Gray_

_Lady Lavinia Highsmith_

_Marian Hood_

_Lady Penelope Kingsmill_

_Lady Victoria Kingsmill_

_Henrietta Lancaster_

_Lady Tatiana Lightwood_

_Cassandra Lorenzi_

_Lady Jessamine Lovelace_

_Edith Marovelli_

_Lady Josephine Montclaire_

_Lady Gwendolyn Morgenstern_

_Lady Elise Penhallow_

_Louisa Prescott_

_Aurelia Ransome_

_Lady Wilhelmina Trueblood_

_Lady Adeline Verlac_

_Parthenia Vroman_

_Lady Elizabeth Whitelaw_

_Arabella Xavier_

_Dorothea Yanaer_

_These ladies,_

_Shadowhunter and mundane alike,_

_Therefore will take part in,_

_The Selection._

Will tuned out half way through.

When the King had finished, he asked Charlotte. "These are going to posted all over Idris correct?"

Charlotte nodded.

The Queen asked, "I presume the Shadowhunter ladies have the title Lady?"

Charlotte nodded once more.

Queen Linette was not a Shadowhunter. She was a wealthy regular mundane. But King Edmund fell in love with her, and married her as soon as he became King. Normal Kings or Queens married Shadowhunter spouses.

"Twelve Shadowhunters," murmured Jem.

"The rest are mundane," Cecily chirped.

"I'm not an idiot," Will said darkly.

"Really?" Jem and Cecily said together. They both started laughing.

Will ignored them. He turned to his parents. "When are they coming?"

Charlotte spoke instead. "To be exact, in two weeks."

"What!" Will yelled. "In two weeks? And they are going to stay here!" He pointed to the floor.

The King replied, "Stop your tantrums. You are the Crown Prince. It is your duty."

Will looked furious and was about to fire back when his mother added. "These are fine ladies Will. The Lightwoods, the Bellefleurs, even the Montclaires who are here exclusively from France. All the Shadowhunter ladies are good women. And don't even forget the mundanes. I heard that the Beapatrixes almost made the Ascension."

"Mr. Rudolph Beapatrix," Jem muttered. "He never showed up for the training sessions."

Will looked about to burst. "The Lightwoods? TATIANA LIGHTWOOD?" He put his head in his hands. "By the Angel."

Cecily smirked at him. "Well I think Gideon and Gabriel Lightwood are very handsome," she said slyly.

Now Jem looked like he was going to burst into laughter.

The Queen looked at Cecily. "Do you not have lessons?" she inquired.

"Yes, ma'am," Cecily trilled. She then pranced out of the room before giving Will another smirk.

Will still had his head in his hands. "When did my life get so miserable?" he moaned.

Jem pulled him up. "Let us go have a duel outside. If that is alright with Your Majesties," he added.

The Queen nodded, and the King muttered, "Oh thank the Angel we have Jem." Then he said louder, "Do you have any questions Will?"

Will made a face. Then he asked, "What is the name of this desolate torture?"

Jem exhaled. His father replied, "The Selection."


	2. Chapter 2

**For those who are asking for a Wessa or Jessa fanfic, I am not entirely sure yet. I originally planned for a Wessa, but seeing the reviews and further thinking make me wonder if I should make this fanfic Jilessa. I am still undecided, so please review your thoughts. Speaking of, I thank everyone who has given the time to read this. :)**

**Disclaimer: Characters belong to Cassie and title and idea belongs to Kiera.**

Tessa groaned as she tried to lift up her skirts. She was carrying loads of packages. Her plain muslin dress sagged. How unfortunate.

Her brother Nate was out doing who knew what. Probably getting into fights at the saloon. While she, the girl, had to do all the work. She had a small job working as a press assistant. Her hands were stained with ink as usual and she tried to wipe it on her already dirty dress.

People pitied her. "The poor girl," they always said. "Sixteen and working for both herself and that lazy brother of hers. She should already be happily married."

Tessa did not want their pity. She was strong and resourceful. Even sometimes Nate catched a job or two. So he helped putting bread on the table. Currently it was hard for a man to get a job. So he drank away while she lugged with her parcels. No one came to help the poor dirty girl.

Things were not always like this. When Tessa and Nate's parents were alive, they had a good life. Her father had a high paying job at a company. Then everything changed when their parents died in that horrible carriage accident.

So when news arrived that the Prince was looking for a bride, she immediately signed up for the two week course. She knew she was not going to make it, but it did not hurt to try. When her parents were alive, they taught Tessa and Nate manners and how to act proper. So she tried her best.

She had retrieved her mother's best velveteen dress and her pearls. Tessa did not dare sell them. Those items were the few things she had left of her mother. Including her clockwork angel. She looked presentable at least. Even if the style of her dress was at least ten years old.

Some girls who were to ragged were not even allowed to participate. The snobbish Shadowhunter girls screamed at the sight of them. The whole two weeks were divided evenly. Politics, history, manners, and more.

To the Shadowhunter girls, she was no match. Tessa did not even know what the prince looked like. She had never bothered. People said that he was a handsome fellow along with his _parabatai_.

Something broke her chain of thoughts. There was a huge uproar about a block ahead of her.

"Damn," Tessa muttered. She had dropped all her parcels. She carefully picked them up, and made her way toward the huge crowd.

The only major city in Idris was Alicante. There were small towns dotted around Brocelind Plain, and Tessa debated whether to leave Alicante to the smaller towns when times were rough. In the end, she decided not to leave her birthplace.

The crowd was fighting over some pieces of paper. Tessa noticed that some of the same paper was tacked on some of the walls. People were crowded around trying to get a glimpse of the paper.

"Excuse me," Tessa asked an old woman near her. "What is going on?"

"The Selection! The Selection!" the woman screeched excitedly. "The final list for The Selection has been announced. I hope my granddaughter is picked!"

The old woman then thrust her body into the crowds, in hopes of snatching a piece of the paper.

Tessa felt excitement bubbling in her body. Then she forced it down. What were the chances of her getting picked? Out of thousands of girls in Idris!

But she wanted to see the list. She held her parcels together tightly, and thrust herself into the crowd as well.

It was hectic. The odor of unwashed bodies was in the air, as well as unneeded body heat. Tessa felt anger when she thought of the rich Shadowhunters, who probably had the papers delivered right to their _high _aristocratic faces.

Tessa stood there, being shuffled around until finally she was close to the papers to get a glimpse. She skimmed through the first part, and zoomed her eyes down to the names.

_G. G. G. G. _Tessa's eyes searched the paper for her last name. There! Between Evangeline Giovanni and Lady Lavinia Highsmith, was a Theresa Gray.

Tessa had not dared to hope. Now adrenaline was filling her veins. She was going to the Palace!

When her parents were alive, they had taken Tessa around the Herondale Palace once. It was a dazzling place. She doubted that the Prince would choose someone like her, but Tessa was sure that being part of the Selection would earn her some fame, so when she would be eliminated, she would not live like she did currently.

This would utterly change her life. A girl who wore rags now might finally have a chance to shine.

People were starting to stare at Tessa. People who had done business or knew her would know she was in the Selection. Who knew, maybe their daughters did not make it so they were going to take their anger out on Tessa.

She had dropped all her parcels again. Tessa quickly picked them up. She ran before anyone could question her.

o.O.o

Tessa had dropped her parcels off at the post office as she was instructed. _Not for long. _Tessa smiled at the thought. She still could not believe in her fate.

As soon as she went over to her shack-like house, she could not believe her eyes. There were Royal Guards, dressed in shining purple jackets with gold epaulettes. They had each a tall white helmet and had muskets slung over their shoulders. The Royal Crest, which depicted herons in flight, was stamped onto the left breast of the uniform.

There were six of them in total. Tessa assumed that the leader was the one in front, who looked identical to the rest except that he had a white plume on his helmet. He looked at her critically.

"Are you Miss Theresa Gray?" he asked her.

"Yes," she replied tentatively.

"No way," came a voice near the back. It was a soldier who had an arrogant look on his face. "Look at her," he gestured to her. "Would a member of the Selection look like that?"

Tessa went red. Of course! She did in fact look very disheveled. With a week old dress, messy bun, and even her skin was covered with a thin layer of grime.

The leader shushed him. He looked at her carefully once more. Then he took a picture out of his pocket. Tessa recognized the picture. It was the one that they had sketched of her during the two week course.

"It is Miss Gray. Look!" He compared Tessa to the sketch.

Another soldier stepped forward. "We need you to look presentable for the Palace. Can you wear the dress you wore for the picture?" he asked.

Tessa scowled. "Yes," There was a commotion near her block. People noticing the Royal Guard. Putting the two and two that the dirty girl was part of the Selection.

She headed up the steps to her house. The soldiers followed her. When they pushed the battered door, Tessa ushered them to the half torn couch. They did not sit down.

Tessa saw how uncomfortable they looked, so she quickly went into the little room she kept her few belongings in. She pulled out the velveteen dress and put it on. She also took out the few jewelry she had. Her mother's pearl necklace. She put her hair into the best chignon bun she could make and put the pearl necklace in a secret pocket of the dress. It would clash with her clockwork angel.

The dress covered most of her body and she did not have enough time to take a bath, so she got a cloth, dabbed water, and cleaned her face and hands. That would have to do. She put on the matching shoes, and looked around the room. There was nothing left that Tessa valued. She went outside.

The soldiers straightened. The leader nodded approvingly. Then he said, "Now we must travel to the Palace."

A sudden thought came up to her. Nate. "I have a brother," Tessa began. "He….does not know that I-" The leader interrupted her.

"Do not worry Miss." he said. "It will all be taken care of."

Tessa was not sure what to make out of that, but she nodded. As she looked around her house for the last time, she felt a spark inside her. She was getting out of this desolate place of misery and poverty.

There was a black carriage waiting outside.

One soldier helped her up the steps. The interior of the carriage was very plush. Tessa settled in comfortably as they snapped the door shut. The whip cracked, and it started moving.

Tessa drew the curtains aside. They were traveling through the center of the sector Tessa lived in. People looked up and saw Tessa. They gasped and started talking excitedly. Soon crowds were around the carriage's path to the Palace.

Time dragged by. Soon her carriage was met up by an identical one. Then another. In no time they arrived at the Palace.

It was soon time to unboard. The door to her carriage opened. She tried to step down, but the sudden light blinded her. She tripped and fell off the carriage. Tessa expected to fall down unceremoniously on the ground, but someone caught her. Just in time.

Tessa looked to her savior. It was the most handsome man she had ever seen. Black hair, and very piercing violet blue eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Characters belong to Cassandra Clare. The title and basic plot belongs to Kiera Cass.**

Will wanted to jump off a cliff. It was kind of impossible though. There were not any large cliffs that were high enough in Idris. His parents would definitely not let him jump off a cliff. They would go on and on about responsibility and all that rubbish.

Jem had forced him to memorize all the names of the girls in the Selection. Like that would help. A sketch of each girl was provided but Will did not bother to look. Jem just gave him the evil eye and stalked out of the room.

Now? He was forced into a blue waistcoat that supposedly brought out his eyes. It was tight fitting and he felt like the time when Jem had accidently or really _purposefully _tricked him into wearing a corset. Cecily had walked in on them. She would not stop laughing for days.

Will had to admit that the waistcoat was stunning. Dark blue with faint patterns of the mysterious symbols of the Shadowhunters. He wore black breeches and a matching dress coat with hundreds of gold embellishments. His cravat was also driving him insane. The only thing that resembled his usual self was his hair. Queen Linette had tried to brush it down when the maids could not, but it was useless. It was curly and unruly as ever. Will personally thought it made him looked more rugged, but Jem snorted and swatted him when he voiced his opinion.

Jem was wearing similar clothing to Will. The colors differed though. And his dress coat was not as extravagant. No one wanted to wear Will's fancy coat though. It scratched and itched, and was purely for decorative reasons. Will would have given everything up for Jem's coat. Jem just smiled wickedly.

The two weeks had flown by too quickly. All the time had been spent on preparations for the Selection. Now Will was outside of the Palace, swearing in his head as the servants prepared for the carriages to roll up in the driveway. Jem sensed Will's foul words, and turned to glare at him. It was so psychotic! This _parabatai_ business was nasty.

"Tell me again. Why am I doing this?" Will asked him loftily.

Jem grimaced. He kicked Will in the shins. Hard.

"Yow!" Will clutched his shin and swore even more.

Jem grinned.

"You seem to live on my pain," Will said, momentarily stopping his stream of ungentlemanly words.

Before Jem could say anything back to him, the first of the black carriages rolled in. This was real. Will's days as a single man was over. All of his time had to be spent with these women. And at the end of this damned thing, he would have a wife. Then a few years later, he would have children.

For the first time, Will understood the full impact of this. He was entering a new stage of his life. His childhood was over. He was no child, but this was not in his teenage years. Will and Jem had fancied several girls throughout their lives, but they did not last and was not major. This was going to last and was very major. Will braced himself. Jem seemed to sense his discomfort. Again with the scary bond. Will appreciated this time. They smiled at each other. They really could not live without each other.

Who knew, maybe after all this was over, he would maybe persuade his parents to create a Selection just for Jem. Will imagined Jem's horrified face. That cheered him up.

When the first carriage was aligned perfectly with the dark carpet chosen for the occasion, the door opened and out stepped a girl. She had an authoritative aura and was wearing a deep purple gown. No doubt a Shadowhunter girl.

Will stepped up. Jem lingered near the entrance of the double oak doors. As a very stout herald checked her off, he boomed, "Lady Wilhelmina Trueblood!"

Wilhelmina walked gracefully to Will. She curtsied and Will smiled charmingly. She was pretty. Will reached for her hand and pressed a light kiss.

"Welcome Lady Trueblood," he said.

She smiled and said, "Thank you Your Highness."

A maid came up to them. "Follow me my Lady. I will take you to your rooms."

As Wilhelmina followed the maid, Will called to her. "It was a pleasure meeting you. I hope to see you soon."

Jem snorted. Wilhelmina blushed and smiled graciously. She seemed to walk with a spring in her step.

As carriage after carriage rolled by, Will kissed each girl's hand and said a similar comment that made them blush and smile.

He was almost getting bored when another girl stepped out. Her dress was not as extravagant as the others.

Then Will saw her face. His heart almost stopped. The whole world seemed to stop. Her pale face was framed with a chocolatey brown bun with a few curls hanging loose. Her face was a whole new story. Perfect lips and the very startling gray eyes. There was no other shade of gray that could compete with her color of eyes. In other words, she was the most beautiful girl in the world.

Will followed her every movement. She seemed to be dazed by the sudden light. Will's heart skipped a beat. The light cast a delicate glow on her body and Will wanted her. More than anything.

All of a sudden, she lost her footing. Will immediately lurched forward. He imagined terrible things that might happen. The beautiful girl hurting herself. Will then and there vowed that he would make sure harm never came her way.

Will arrived just in time. He grabbed her waist and held on tight.

Time sped up again.

The herald, noticing nothing, boomed, "Miss Theresa Gray!"

Theresa stared at him. Will was numbed by her stare. She was so beautiful. They just stayed there like that. Then Will gradually brought her up, his hand on her back.

"Are you okay Miss Gray?" he asked her.

"I am alright. No sorry, I am….Can we start this again?" she stuttered.

Will laughed. A real one. Not sarcastic. A rare genuine laugh.

"I would, but, there are about ten more carriage filled with anxious girls who are trying to get off. You know how women are like." He waggled his eyebrows.

Theresa stared at him with annoyance. "Women have a reason for acting like that. It is because of the way men treat us!" She started to pull away. Will held onto her tighter.

He cocked his head. He really liked this girl. "Is that how you are going to talk to me from now on?" he asked teasingly.

Theresa looked at him. "By chance," she said hesitantly. Her eyes widened. "Your Highness?" she asked incredulously.

Will looked at her with shock. "Are you serious?" You did not know who I was?"

Theresa hid her eyes with her hands. She would have fallen down again if Will was not holding her.

A maid saved the whole awkwardness. "Follow me Miss. I will take you to your rooms."

Will reluctantly let go of Theresa. She took her hands off her face and slowly trudged toward the maid.

Will called out to her. "It was a pleasure meeting you!"

Theresa covered her face again with mortification.

o.O.o

Tessa groaned for the tenth time. It had to be the Prince! Why did she not study something about the royal family? She had always dismissed the royalty. Tessa imagined snobby fat men who trotted around. Even during the duration of the pre-Selection course.

The Prince was so handsome though! Tessa felt ashamed. She had been rude to the Prince, while he had saved her from harm. And why did she fall anyway? She pounded her head with her fists.

Her maid, Edme, led her to her room. Tessa just stared at it. It was larger that her whole old house and the the faucets had hot running water! In her old house, you had to boil water for a warm bath.

Edme had taken one look her and pushed into a big bathtub with frothy bubbles. Tessa smiled at memories of her and her brother splashing each other, and their mother, staring at them sternly before laughing and splashing them back. When her father joined in, the bathroom was a war zone.

She had carefully set her mother's jewels on a very elaborate bureau. Tessa took the longest bath she could and dried herself.

As soon as Tessa got out of the bathroom, Edme said, "The King and Queen requires all members of the Selection to come for dinner tonight." She continued to explain other details.

Tessa felt dread coming to her face. She had to face the Prince.

Sensing her discomfort, Edme tried to say something that was passable as good news "Miss Gray, you have the right to do anything in this room. This room is absolutely private."

Tessa smiled at her warmly. "Thank you. Please call me Tessa." She really liked Edme.

Edme ducked her head shyly. She was a pretty girl with blonde hair and clear blue eyes. "Is there any dress you wish to wear for the dinner?"

_Back to the dinner. _Tessa thought grumpily. Edme opened the gigantic wardrobe in the corner. Tessa's mouth fell open. It was filled with an assortment of dresses from top to bottom. Edme smiled at her expression. "We took your measurements during the two-week course. All of these dresses are yours and fit you."

At this time, the door banged open. A duo of maids came in giggling. Edme's face hardened. "Bridget and Agatha!" The two maids stopped laughing. "You are in the presence of a member of the Selection!"

Tessa reached for Edme's shoulder. "There is no need to do that," she said gently.

Edme bristled but began to calm down. She took out a gray evening gown. Not quite gray, blue was at its abundance too. "This is perfect," she announced. She beckoned Bridget and Agatha.

Tessa protested. "I could dress myself."

Edme brandished the dress like a weapon. "Trying to just lace this gown takes a long time. A lady has a lady's maid to do that. You are a lady."

Technically, the title of _Lady_ was only for the Shadowhunters.

Tessa surrendered. She was going to meet the royal family after all. She dressed first in her chemise and petticoats. Then the gown was lifted above her head and laced on her. Edme then braided parts of her hair and twisted them around her head. The rest of her hair was parted and curled into ringlets. Agatha tied a blue ribbon to hold them in place.

A little bit of powder was added to her face and to complete the look, Bridget brought over Tessa's pearl necklace and put in on her neck.

All three maids admired their handiwork. Then they brought a full mirror over to Tessa.

The girl in the mirror was captivating. Almost beautiful. Tessa could not remember the last time she looked like this. Edme smiled at her. "Chin up, you are beautiful Tessa. Show them your charm."

Tessa laughed. "I have enough charm as a dead cow." All three maids starting laughing. This room was a lively place. All traces of the former argument was gone.

Agatha pushed Tessa out of the room. "Just stroll down the Grand Staircase. Manservants will help you to your seat," she instructed.

"Wait…..what?" Tessa attempted to go back into her room but a crowd of other members of the Selection were pushing around her.

Tessa hoped she would not mess up, and walked with the other girls to dinner.

**Thank you for all the reviews!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Characters belong to Cassandra Clare and basic plot and title belongs to Kiera Cass.**

**Thank you so much for the overwhelming amount of reviews. I am reading every single review and am going to try to include everyone's suggestions.**

Tessa fell a little behind. She was having trouble with her dress. The large skirts had gotten tangled with her slippers. As she struggled to untangle her skirts as well as keeping a ladylike appearance, pale nimble hands swooped down and unhooked her skirts from her slippers. Tessa was about to speak when she had a closer look at the person's face.

It was a lady, a beautiful one. Brown hair loosely braided around her face, her hazel eyes gleaming. What stood out was the long silvery scar that reached from her left corner of her mouth to her temple. This did not affect her beauty though.

The observation took less than a second and Tessa composed her face because she did not want to seem rude.

"Thank you. I was particularly having a bit of trouble," Tessa said gratefully. They continued to walk down the hall toward the Grand Staircase.

The lady chuckled and smiled at her. "Your welcome. I did not want for you to trip. Especially with those nasty Shadowhunter girls nearby. I want you to have a chance with the Selection and if those girls knew any weaknesses, they would bring you down." She sounded bitter.

Tessa changed the subject. "Your dress is magnificent!" It was. A light gown, with small ruffles here and there. It suited her.

The lady smiled again. Tessa liked making her smile. It brought out her chiseled features and hid the nasty scar. "Thank you. I like yours too. My name is Sophia Collins, but you can call me Sophie."

Tessa reeled with the amount of new information. So she was not a Shadowhunter. She had assumed she was one by how she spoke about the Shadowhunter girls. Like she knew them personally.

"My name is Theresa Gray, but you can call me Tessa."

"Alright Tessa."

"Alright Sophie."

They giggled like little girls. Tessa and Sophie continued to make small talk as they grew closer and closer to the Grand Staircase.

When they finally reached it, Tessa was thoroughly shocked. The Grand Staircase was grand as its name stated. It stretched from the floor she was on and looped around a tall marble pillar and ascended down like a waterfall. Tessa had actually climbed the Staircase earlier, but was too enveloped with embarrassment with the Prince and had failed to notice her surroundings.

Sophie gripped her hand tightly. One by one, each girl was walking down the Staircase, in perfect intervals. Thirty-five girls was a large amount of people.

Tessa gulped.

Sophie looked at her grimly. "Good luck."

Tessa echoed her. "Good luck."

o.O.o

Noises were coming from the dining hall. Will felt his heart speed up. He had finally changed his unsuitable coat for an evening one. The rest of his clothing had not changed. If you did not count the awkward blue sash that hung from his left shoulder to his right hip. Jem wore the exact one.

It was almost time for the royal family plus Jem to enter. Will had a thought.

"Jem. Do you think I can eliminate some girls today? And send them home tomorrow?"

Jem looked thoughtful. Then his eyes narrowed. "Are you saying this to get this over with fast?"

Will shook his head. His blue eyes were serious. "I genuinely asking."

Jem pressed his lips. "Ask your parents," he said, crossing his arms and leaning on a nearby table.

Will considered his _parabatai_'s statement.

They were in a room that was situated as a tiny drawing room for the royal family. It was adjacent to the actual dining room. The royals would enter after everybody was seated in the dining room.

Queen Linette entered the drawing room. She was magnificent, in a gleaming silver gown with particularly dainty flowers that were tucked carefully on the whole dress. King Edmund arrived next, with a bored looking Cecily. The King was dressed similarly to the boys, but with different color schemes. Cecily was dressed in a dark blue gown that accented her eyes. Her décollatage was an inch down from being appropriate.

King Edmund, Will, and Jem looked disapproving at her. Cecily stuck her tongue out.

Queen Linette sighed. "I tried. I tell you I tried," she mumbled.

Jem looked at Cecily with a brotherly affection. "You know they will not come today. There was no use dressing like that." He pointed at her chest.

Cecily touched the tops of her breasts. "You could have told me that!" she cried.

"What am I missing?" Will demanded.

"Cecily," Jem emphasized his words. "Wanted to _try_ to seduce Gideon and Gabriel Lightwood to annoy you Will. She assumed they would be coming tonight and happened to inform me. I suggested her not to, but she refused to listen and said that if I would tell, she would personally make my life miserable." Jem shuddered delicately.

Both the King and Will gaped at Jem. You did not want to get caught in Cecily's bad side.

Queen Linette brandished a book, as it was the nearest item. She hit it on Cecily's stomach. "So that was the reason why? By the Angel, why must you be frustrating at such an important time? Your brother is going to get married!"

"Did I ever wish to get married?" Will muttered.

The Queen removed the book from Cecily's stomach and hit it hard on Will's head. Or tried too. He was so tall though, that after hitting him a couple of times on the side of his head, Jem offered his hand. He took the book from Queen Linette and smacked Will harder than his mother was originally attempting too.

Jem dropped the book, grinned toothily at Will and scooted to the other end of the tiny room. Will raced after him, picking up the book Jem had dropped. Cecily giggled with delight. Queen Linette went over to her husband and banged her head on his chest a couple of times. He gripped her carefully on the elbows, making sure not to crumple her extravagant dress.

Before enough damage could be inflicted on Queen Linette's elaborate hair and Jem, a steward came into the room.

"The Selected are settled in Your Majesties."

"Good." Queen Linette straightened herself and gave herself a quick pat down. King Edmund helped brush out any tangles in her hair and kissed her gently on the lips. Queen Linette kissed him back with equal fervor.

Will, Jem, and Cecily instinctively averted their eyes.

The steward cleared his throat. The King and Queen broke apart. As they filed out of the room and toward the dining room, Cecily muttered quietly. "I never said _seduce_. I do not go that far. I merely meant flirt."

"What is the difference?" Will asked under his breath.

Cecily slapped Will on the head. He groaned. "What business does everyone have with my head!"

"William!" his mother cautioned. The doors to the dining room were about to open. To a room full of girls. Will put out a forced smirk. This was going to be _so_ fun.

o.O.o

"Announcing, King Edmund and Queen Linette, Crown Prince William and Princess Cecily, and Lord James."

The Herondale family plus Carstairs entered the dining room. It was a vast room, and a large rectangular mahogany table sat in it. Most of the time, barely a fifth of the table was occupied. Today, the whole table was in use by the ladies. The traditional seats for the King and Queen were at the ends of the table. Jem, Will, and Cecily generally sat wherever. This time, because of the girls, Cecily sat near her mother and Will and Jem sat near the King.

All the girls and the servants stood up when the royal family entered.

Queen Linette spoke first. "Ladies, I welcome you to the Selection. I hope every one of you strive hard to win the heart of my son, Will. This will be one chance in a lifetime. All of you have been selected because of certain qualities that befit a princess and eventually, a queen. I hope you will all prove that each and every one of you deserves such a position."

Will smiled at all the girls. He was looking for a particular one though. Theresa. He found her, but she had her eyes looking down at her plate. All the others were trying to catch Will's eye. Theresa was looking quite red also.

He chuckled to himself. Jem raised an eyebrow. Will grinned at him even brighter. Seeing Theresa had made him blissful. He could almost forgive Jem for hitting him.

Jem sensed his feelings. "Are you quite all _right_?" he asked so that only Will would hear.

Will mouthed back _I am fine._ This exchange was barely noticed. Or so he thought. Theresa was looking at him. Curiosity glinted in her eyes. Will gazed at her questionably. She immediately turned bright red again and focused on her plate.

King Edmund cleared his throat. He smiled warmly. "Everyone, please sit down and enjoy this dinner. I assume you will be famished by now." He clapped his hands. The first wave of servants carrying platters of food came in. Foods from all over the world were served in the Herondale Palace. Influences from Shadowhunters from all around the world created a diverse menu.

The mundane girls' mouths fell open. No doubt they would have never seen a dazzling display like this. Delicate white balls of meat, dipped in some kind of clear liquid, set in crackers that was pockmarked with seeds from the New World. A sprig of cilantro. Different kinds of meat, soups, salads, every foreign royal family that had visited Idris left with comments of how great the food was.

The Shadowhunter girls' had smug smiles on their faces. They probably had at least been to the Palace one time in their lives.

The dinner went on slowly. The girl next to him, Aurelia Ransome, had honey blonde locks that did not match her cold, calculating dark brown eyes.

He attempted to talk to her. "Miss Ransome?"

She turned her face to him. Even with her cold eyes, she was a natural beauty. "Yes Your Highness?"

Will wrinkled his nose. He gestured wildly around the whole room. "Someone in this room is going to be my wife. I think we can cut the formalities."

The cold look in her eyes disappeared. She smiled. There. Although he extremely liked Theresa, Will would try to interact with other girls. Theresa had that wild temper of hers. She might not be of Will's liking if he got to know her better.

"So what do you think of my humble home?" Will asked her.

Aurelia cocked her head. Her blonde curls were shifted and her pale neck was shown. A wave of perfume was registered in Will's nostrils. Was this her way of flirting? He was no vampire!

"It is absolutely magnificent. The food, the architecture, and you." She did not look away, unashamed.

Will responded by gently bringing one curl back to hide her bare neck. He then lowered his lips to her ear. She closed her eyes. "One should hide her neck. It is a vulnerable spot," he whispered.

Everyone seemed to watch them. Conversations were muted. Some girls were glaring daggers at Aurelia. Cecily was smirking.

Will leaned his face back. His lips curled ever so slightly at its corners.

By the Angel. If it took this much energy and effort for each girl, he would be exhausted all the time.

Then Will remembered something. He was going to ask his parents whether he could eliminate some of the girls early on in the Selection. That would make his life easier. He would have to ask his parents after the dinner. Which was not going to happen in a long time.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Characters belong to Cassie and the title and basic plot belongs to Kiera.**

Tessa was nervous. Right up to the point when the royal family entered. She was then half descending into hell. Tessa immediately ducked her head. She felt her face turn red.

Tessa sensed someone's eyes on her, but she did not dare look up. Everyone started to stand up, so Tessa did too.

The Queen spoke first. She was a regal woman. "Ladies, I welcome you to the Selection. I hope every one of you strive hard to win the heart of my son, Will. This will be one chance in a lifetime. All of you have been selected because of certain qualities that befit a princess and eventually, a queen. I hope you will all prove that each and every one of you deserves such a position."

Tessa sneaked a look at the Prince. He was staring at her. She immediately blushed and looked down.

The other royal, Princess Cecily, looked bored. It was then that Tessa realized how much the Prince and the Princess looked their mother. Raven black hair and violet blue eyes.

After saying a few words, King Edmund clapped his hands. Suddenly steaming plates of food arrived with a rush of servants. Tessa's jaw dropped. She saw that Sophie's dropped as well.

She felt her eyes carefully inspect everything. The plates to begin with. She touched it gingerly. Porcelain. The edges were rimmed with gold. Then Tessa's eyes traveled to the silverware. They were carefully placed on a white napkin and were stick straight. In perfect position.

A crystal goblet was positioned near the main dish and also a slim wine glass. Both were stamped with the herons. Tessa picked it up and brought it to her eye.

A girl near her hissed. "Put it down."

Tessa complied. Not before sending a little glare at the speaker. Sophie pressed down a smile.

Finally, the servants reached their little section. One of them set down a peculiar looking braised meat on her plate. Sophie got a similar kind. Another servant poured a red liquid which Tessa assumed was wine in one of the glasses. Then a clear liquid in the other.

The King and the Queen lifted their silverware and started cutting the meat. After they had taken the first bite, everyone else started to eat.

Tessa realized she was famished. To not seem barbaric, she carefully cut the meat and put it in her mouth. Even though her first impression of the meat was peculiar, it was absolutely delicious. A burst of flavor immediately erupted as soon as it touched her tongue. She chewed it, hoping that the flavor would last forever. Sophie was having a similar reaction.

Tessa spied a nearby girl drinking out of one of the glasses. She could not tell if she was a Shadowhunter or not because everyone had the same amount of finery added to their clothing. No one was glaring at her and Tessa was really thirsty so she delicately sipped the wine.

The wine had a bitter tang and a sweet aftertaste. She prefered water to quench her thirst, but this would do. The other clear liquid was not water.

Tessa quickly sneaked a glance at the Prince. He was sending strange glances to a man across from him whom Tessa recognized as Lord James. As if he had been alerted, the Prince locked eyes with Tessa. The wine she had sipped felt like it was coming right back up. Oh how handsome he was. When he looked at her, Tessa felt like he was reading her soul. She averted her gaze.

As dinner continued, more dishes piled in. Soups of various colors that had its own distinctive taste. Salads, lamb chops, the list went on. At one point, she whispered to Sophie.

"I can not help stuffing myself."

Sophie whispered back. "Me too."

Other small talk like this was happening across the room. Even the Princess and the Queen were engaging in conversations with the girls.

Then all the conversations were hushed. Tessa looked curiously around. The Prince was talking to a blonde girl. Tessa's heart started to beat fast.

Something the blonde girl had said must have stunned the Prince. He recovered and put his perfect lips to her ear and whispered something that made the girl blush. He then touched a lock of her hair and moved it to cover her suddenly bare neck.

Tessa felt something surge in her body. She gripped her hands underneath the table. Why was she acting like this? Although self-consciously, she wanted to wring that blonde girl's neck.

Soon dinner was finished and Queen Linette gave an announcement. "Normally after dinner the ladies would spend their time at the Lady's Apartment, or what most of you will know as the drawing room. Today, I assume all of you are tired, so that will be disregarded. I hope you have rejuvenating sleep tonight." With these words, she delicately stood up and exited through the door she first came in.

King Edmund smiled and proceeded to walk out. The Prince and Lord James also stood up. The former gave Tessa one last look that made her heart flutter. Lord James glanced between the Prince and her.

Thus, all members of the royal family were gone with an exception of Princess Cecily. She gazed at all the girls and said, "One thing to remember. My brother hates self-absorbed girls." She cast a dark look at a dark-haired girl near the end of the table. "Otherwise, it was nice meeting all of my potential sister-in-laws." With those words, she winked, and pranced toward the door.

The wine had a poor effect on her, for the rest of the night was a blur. After walking back with Sophie, they wished each other a good night and entered their respective rooms.

Bridget and Agatha had immediately jumped on her. They started asking questions which quickly stopped by the time Tessa raised her mouth tiredly to speak. Edme firmly pushed them away.

"Miss Tessa is tired," Edme said softly.

"It is just Tess-" Her words were stopped by a yawn.

The maids undressed her despite her weak protests and tucked her into bed.

Before leaving, Edme pointed to a cord hanging on her wall.

"If you are in need of any assistance, please tug on that cord. It will call for us." With those words, they left.

It felt odd. Something was too quiet. Although she was happy to leave the hellhole where she used to live, Tessa felt an odd kind of homesickness. Then she realized why.

Tessa grudgingly crept out of her warm bed and reached for the dresser. Agatha had put her clockwork angel there. After she put the clasp back on and let the angel settle on her chest did that wave of homesickness disappear. Tessa fell in a deep slumber, with the clockwork angel gently ticking.

o.O.o

As the light entered the room, Tessa woke up. She had always woken up at the crack of dawn, and that habit was not going to be broken.

She marveled at the fact that she had just spent the night at the Palace. And her body felt the effects of resting on a real mattress.

After enjoying the luxury of a morning bath, she opened her wardrobe. Ignoring the cord on the wall, she chose a random corset and attempted to put it on. Which obviously did not work. These expensive pieces of clothing was more more complex than the ones she used at home. She attempted to retrace the steps of how the maids did it, but what ended up happening was a very messy tangle of knots.

After what felt like half an hour later, Tessa gave up and tugged the cord. Offering no explanation, Tessa let them do their magic. Trying to hold in her laughter, Agatha expertly untied the knots. Edme pulled a maroon gown from the closet.

"Is this alright, Miss Tessa?" she asked.

Figuring it was no use trying to let them call her by her given name and still feeling humiliated, Tessa merely nodded.

It was not long before she was all dressed and ready. Her hair was simply styled into a bun and a light layer of powder was added to her face. Having no jewelry except her clockwork angel, Bridget let Tessa add her own touches. Creasing the gown to provide a more natural look. Asking Edme to loosen the corset a bit.

"What am I doing today?" Tessa inquired the maids.

"You are to go to the Lady's Apartment to join the other Selected and Her Majesty and Her Highness miss. I believed breakfast will be after that."

"Good," Tessa said. "Because I am really hungry." She patted her stomach.

This time the maids could not help but burst into giggles. Tessa laughed with them and then gave the maids a warm smile.

"Thank you. You three have made my time here more bearable, and taught me some things should not be done alone," Tessa said, gesturing her back.

Bridget and Agatha blushed, and Edme smiled and replied softly, "And we are glad to be of service miss."

o.O.o

The Lady's Apartment was a surprisingly warm place. Soft gray curtains framed the various windows in the room and there was a large fireplace in the far corner of the room. Divans and armchairs with elegant upholstery dotted the room. Servants were stationed in the edges of the room, alert for any commands.

Tessa was astonished that all the Selected were actually able to fit in the room. Even with their wide skirts. The girls that arrived earlier took most of the divans and armchairs. The rest stood around the room. Tessa arrived late, but Sophie had an empty seat next to her, so she motioned Tessa to sit next to her.

Before Tessa had the chance to settle in, the Queen entered. Everyone stood up and curtsied to her.

Queen Linette smiled and waved at everyone to sit down. She then took place at the center of the room and said, "I hope everyone had a good night. I know you are curious on what the schedule is today. And hungry for breakfast." She added that last part slyly.

"The Prince is going to have individual meetings with each one of you to get better acquainted. That is going to occur right after breakfast, so I hope you are all ready."

There was a gasp that went around the room. Some girls immediately turned to their neighbor and started asking if they needed more powder, more blush, or even if the dress they were currently wearing suited the occasion.

One girl even plumped up her breasts to reveal more cleavage. Tessa grimaced. She only wringed her hands.

On the other hand, Sophie was calm. She just looked serenely at the Queen.

Amid all that chatter, a steward entered the Apartment.

"Your Majesty and ladies of the Selection, breakfast is ready."

Queen Linette nodded. "Thank you Thomas." She began to walk toward the door, and the sea of girls parted their way for her.

After the Queen made her exit, the rest of the girls followed. Tessa bit the inside of her cheek. What would the Prince think when he saw her? The plain, clumsy girl who fell so miserably.

She sighed.

Sophie nudged her. "Are you okay?" she whispered.

"Yes. Thank you for asking," Tessa said, managing a smile to Sophie. She was so glad she had at least one friend here, not forgetting her maids too.

At least breakfast cheered her up. It was as delicious as always.

Tessa rubbed her stomach. She would eat more, but her stays tightened against her abdomen and would not budge anymore.

Abruptly, a clear voice reverberated through the dining room. "Miss Mary Adriano," a balding steward called. A girl with mousy brown hair stood up and brushed her skirts. "Please follow me," the steward said, clutching a stark white paper.

As Mary Adriano left the room, Tessa felt her heart lurch. The individual meetings with the Prince had started.

As the number of the Selected slowly decreased, Tessa idly noticed that each of the girls were called between intervals of at least five minutes. Ten was the maximum.

Eventually Sophie was called. She gave Tessa's hand a tight squeeze. The list was in alphabetical order. It would not be long before her name would be called.

o.O.o

"Miss Theresa Gray."

The voice jolted her from her thoughts. As she rose from her seat and gathered up her skirts, Tessa tilted her chin ever so slightly. Under a thin layer of confidence was fear and humiliation from the events of her first meeting with the Prince. She would not let the past get to her now.

With grace she never knew she had before, Tessa followed the steward out of the dining room. They walked down a hallway that was lavishly decorated with still life portraits, then down another similiar in design. She could not help but run her fingers along the wall.

At last, the steward stopped at a set of mahogany double doors encrusted with the Royal Crest. He opened them and gestured Tessa to enter. After Tessa had stepped over the threshold, he bowed low and shut the doors softly.

It took Tessa a moment to stare at her surroundings. It was a library.

Tessa's heart leaped with joy. It was her own personal heaven, then and there. It was circular and absolutely huge and went up what seemed like three stories! Probably more, because as Tessa craned her neck, she was able to see the brilliant blue sky up above and it seemed like it ran up the entire length of the Palace.

Oh and the books! They were crammed in every available spot, from the high bookshelves that ranged however many stories up and on tables strewn across the room. There were verandas separating each story and those rolling ladders on wheels perched on the shelves.

Tessa loved reading. It was always her favorite pastime, but in recent years, she never had the time or money to spend on books. She remembered her favorite novel, _A Tale of Two Cities. _Tessa smiled at the memories that title brought. She recalled the long nights in front of her blazing fireplace, where she and her father had snuggled together with cups of hot chocolate and debated on her newest reads. Her father had always despised the book. He did not think the book was very appropriate for her but Tessa had never listened.

"_Oh Papa. Why must you say such things? Poor Sydney Carton. I do wish that he did get a better ending."_

_Tessa's father snorted. "Just imagine what your aunt Harriet would say if she found out that you have read this book. She would have my head for sure! It is a good thing you mother does not particularly care."_

_Tessa giggled._

It was a bittersweet memory. It brought about the barest of smiles to her lips. Perhaps now she would take advantage of the rest of her duration here and explore all the books. It would be a good way for her to start reading again.

There were small alcoves about a foot long between the bookshelves and small windows were nestled in between. Torches were interspersed along the round room, but as of now, they were unlit because of the golden light entering from each of the windows. But what captured Tessa's attention was the picture on one side of the library.

It seemed to be a painting, but on closer inspection, Tessa realized it was a mural. The were no books at this area, and it was about the length of five yards. It stretched from the ceiling to the floor.

But this mural puzzled and enthralled Tessa at the same time. It was undoubtedly magnificent. There were various color themes throughout the mural. At the very top, it was white and golden, and sure enough, there were angels with their glittering ethereal faces. One of them looked particularly familiar to Tessa, but she could not place where. Although she had sometimes attended sermons back home, Tessa was not deeply religious herself.

As she traveled her eyes farther down the mural, there was another angel, prominently colored. The angel's eyes seem to bore into hers, as if scrutinizing the insignificant thing that was below him. Tessa could not believe how the artist could capture the eternal reflection of his eyes, the deep pools of gold older than humanity itself. The angel held up a goblet-like cup in hand, and a double edged sword in the other. As the mural continued, the angel seemed to be rising out of a crystalline lake. A man in medieval armour crouched before him, raising-

"Ahem."

Tessa whirled around, a bit perturbed to be distracted from the mural. Then her eyes widened and she dropped into a curtsy. And luckily, she did not trip again.

The Prince was gazing at her with his muscled arms crossed, making his white shirt taut. He had abandoned his cravat and unbuttoned the top of his shirt, glimpses of his chest peeking through. His waistcoat was carelessly thrown on one of the armchairs and his frock coat on another. Tessa blushed. It flustered her seeing a man this bare, even though essentially everything was covered.

Why was she acting like this? Tessa was pretty sure she had already asked that to herself. There was no chance she would woo the Prince. But her heart was racing, her cheeks undeniably red, and she wanted to scream, cry, and laugh at the same time.

Tessa was strong-willed and stubborn. But yet, except for her brother, she had virtually no experience with men. It was her brother who had the young admirers, not her.

Because of her miniscule knowledge of the opposite sex, she did not know if her emotions she was currently feeling was attraction. If it was, well, there was no harm done because she could carry out her original plan. But if her feelings meant more…..

The Prince furrowed his eyebrows. He seemed to be confused. But then as quick as a horse, he regained his countenance. A lazy smirk appeared.

"Miss Theresa?" He slowly ambled toward her, getting closer and closer with every second.

"Yes Your Highness?" Tessa responded slowly, testing each of the syllables. She started walking slowly back.

With her stumbling backwards and the Prince slowly walking forwards, it was only a matter of time before-

Tessa formed a small intake of breath. The Prince had pinned her against the mural. His arms were placed inches away from her head while his body subtly pressed against her skirts.

Even though his arms had pinned her, it was his eyes that kept Tessa from squirming. Tessa steely stared back into his eyes. A war then ensured, stormy gray colliding with violet blue. Tessa was determined to have the Prince break first.

And indeed he did. He laughed, and lowered his arms. He then took one of her hands and kissed her knuckles. The Prince's hands were calloused, but smooth. Then he ran his index finger under her own callouses, engraved after years of hard work. Her hands however, were not smooth. She ought to have asked Edme for some cream.

The Prince seemed to take notice of her hands. He opened them, carefully inspecting them. After brushing a fingertip along her palm, he closed it gently. His eyes had lost their fierceness, and now was looking at her curiously.

"Did you," he asked hesitantly, "work before coming here?"

Tessa looked into the Prince's face, but found no signs of contempt or mockery. He was simply curious.

"Yes," she said softly. "I worked as a press assistant. Hence my hands."

The Prince seemed more than curious now. His eyes shined. "So you printed books?" he asked excitedly, like a little boy on the morning of Christmas.

"Yes. But it was more of my job to assemble the letters and such. There were not a lot of literate workers in our shop."

The Prince looked away ashamedly. As a part of the royal family, it would be his job to know of these issues.

Tessa hurriedly replied, "But our shop was more centered into pamphlets. Mainly," Tessa muttered quietly to herself, "the royal propaganda."

The Prince burst out laughing. Tessa, alarmed at first, raised an eyebrow. He stopped laughing and glared sullenly at her. "I have always wanted to do that," he said pointing to her arched eyebrow. "Jem, Cecily, even Mam and Papa could do it."

Tessa raised her other eyebrow. Then both.

The Prince scowled at her. He then waggled his eyebrows.

"You can do that," she pointed out.

"Hmph." He then turned his head to a nearby table. On it was a hourglass with brown sand. Only all the sand was at the bottom bulb. The Prince cursed and looked at an ornate clock beside it. He cursed again.

The Prince was blocking the clock, so she could not see what time it was. But then she remembered that the maximum amount of time allotted for each of the Selected was ten minutes.

Tessa widened her eyes. "Have I been here longer than ten?"

The Prince glanced at her sideways. He counted his fingers. "Well you spent five minutes staring at the walls, then two at the mural." He cocked his head. "I gave up trying to get your attention and decided it was too hot in here, so I took of my waistcoat," he recounted, gesturing at his outerwear draped upon the sofa. "And then-"

Tessa put her hands in front of her. "I get the idea, You Highness," she said cringing. And then added, "I should go."

He seemed reluctant. "But-"

Tessa interrupted, "Your Highness. I am sure the other Selected are in need of your attention as of now. But I will say that my time with you has been a pleasure." She smiled then curtsied once again.

She ran for the double doors, only skidding to a stop when she realized something. She whirled around to face the taken aback Prince.

"I am sincerely sorry for my behavior toward you yesterday. It was entirely disrespectful and I only hope Your Highness might forgive me." Tessa lowered her head. Not knowing what to say, she blurted out, "Good day, Your Highness."

Then she ran off.

o.O.o

Tessa did not know how long she spent with the Prince, but she was nervous on going out for luncheon in fear of incurring the wrath of the other Selected. Instead, she tugged on the cord that Edme had shown her would summon them. Bridget brought her meal to her bedroom, and she happily talked to her maids while eating. She also made use of her time to explore her rooms, and because she had been so tired the day before, Tessa had failed to notice the small parlor adjacent to her bedroom.

A knock sounded on her door. Edme turned to Tessa imploringly, asking her permission. Tessa nodded. Her heart breathed a sigh of relief when it was only Sophie.

"Sophie!" Tessa exclaimed. She ran forward to embrace her friend.

Afterwards, as they lay conversing in Tessa's parlor, Sophie asked bluntly, "What did you do with the Prince?"

Sophie was ahead of her, therefore, should not be aware of how long her meeting with the Prince had taken. If she was aware, that had meant the other Selection members had noticed their extra long meeting..

Tessa sighed. She recounted her story. Sophie was a good listener. She did not ask any questions until Tessa finished.

Sophie's reaction surprised Tessa. She let out a large smile, and it seemed like her scarred side of her face had disappeared entirely. She squealed like a little girl.

"Oh Tessa! Do you not know what this means?" she exclaimed. "The Prince has his sights for you!"

Tessa was baffled. "But are you not aiming to win the Prince's heart too?"

"Oh pish posh," Sophie cried. She gave a mischievous smile. "I am not entirely sure I am attracted to the Prince. He is too, well, _arrogant._"

Tessa clapped her hand on her mouth, looking around frantically. "Oh hush," she said as she removed her hand. "Someone might listen," Tessa hissed.

Sophie shrugged. "I do not give a damn."

Tessa looked at her, aghast. Sophie giggled. It became too infectious, and soon Tessa joined her. Edme, startled at the two, almost tripped carrying the two trays covered with a cloth.

"Oh let me help you with that," Sophie said brightly, taking one of the trays from a struggling Edme.

Tessa eyed the clock. It was already half past eight.

After supper with Sophie, Tessa took a bath. The hot water relieved her muscles and she felt renewed.

As she pulled the covers to get into bed, a knock resonated through the door.

Tessa wondered who would knock at this ungodly hour. She grabbed her dressing gown and headed to the door. A maid stood there, and she held a small silver tray. On it was a small pot.

"For you Miss Tessa," she said lightly and curtsied.

Tessa took the tray into her bedroom and studied the tray. The pot was made of iridescent mother-of pearl. She carefully unscrewed the lid and smelled the contents. Its scent enveloped her, the aroma of roses flooding the room. It was a cream. She dipped a finger into the moisturizer rubbed it across her hands. Her hands became immediately silky, and the sweet smell of roses did not fade.

There was a note folded next to the pot. She opened it and read the messy scrawl.

_I forgive you._

_-W_


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Characters belong to Cassie, title and main plot belongs to Kiera.**

Her heart _thumped_. And accelerated.

She read the note over and over, until she knew that there were precisely fourteen strokes of ink on the scrap of paper.

Tessa, remembering the mystery books she had read, put the paper against the flame of a candle in prospect of finding some secret message. There was nothing.

Had the Prince given out small tokens to every girl? Or just a few of them? Or, she dared to hope, had he only given this small gift to her?

"Bleh." Tessa massaged her temples. Men confused her. But she still could not deny the surge of happiness of receiving the note.

She yawned. Life in the Herondale Palace was bound to be demanding, so sleep was calling. But first she needed to put her pot of cream and note someplace safe.

Tessa sat on her vanity and opened up a few of the drawers. A couple of them were filled with jars of powder and rouge, eyepaint, lip pastes and balms, and many more Tessa could not identify. There was even what she thought to be pencils, but it drew dark, chalky lines. Tessa distinctly remembered something called eyeliner being discussed by gossiping women.

Crystal perfume bottles in a variety of hues were scattered about as well. She sniffed a bit of it and gagged at the scent. It was too floral, the smell of a thousand flowers shredded together in a tub with dollops of overpowering fruits. She set those aside.

There was one drawer full of jewelry of every color and size, from necklaces to what looked to be like toe rings.

"Goodness gracious will this ever end."

Finally Tessa pulled everything out of the main drawer and placed her pot inside. After finding a secret compartment in one of the drawers, she carefully put the note and closed it all up. She did not want anyone seeing it for the time being. It felt like some sort of secret between the Prince and her.

Tessa walked over to her massive bed and pulled the covers aside. Then she blew the lamps and nestled into the warm blankets with a smile on her face.

o.O.o

Jem silently walked in the garden, one boot in front of the other. The moon illuminated the cobblestone path winding around, and he stopped to breathe in the smell of the roses and lilies, gracing the world with their soft petals.

He finally settled on a wooden bench, eyes straight ahead at nothing in particular. This garden was one of the smaller ones, but most people opted for the grander ones nearer the Palace, with the large hedge mazes and glistening lakes.

But this tiny patch of greenery was a safe haven for Jem, a place to go whenever court life made him tired.

However today, Jem was not tired. He sat with his legs crossed, and pondered about his life. He pondered about the Selection and about all the girls in it. He pondered about how Will would hold up.

The stars were especially bright today. This made him think about his mother, who used to tell him stories about the Herd-Boy and the Weaver-Girl, and how they fell in love. He had wondered how strong their love could be, if they could wait a whole year to see each other once, then wait another, again and again. His mother had laughed, and pulled him close. _Àiqíng shì yǒnghéng de. _Love is eternal. Jem wondered yet again, if he would experience that sort of love.

Maybe even Will would find his true love in this Selection. A person you love so much, that you would wait an eternity for them.

o.O.o

Tessa waited irritably for breakfast. All that excitement last night had given her bouts of adrenaline, which had faded away, and now she needed fuel for the day.

As soon as she woke in the morning, Tessa bolted out of bed to her vanity, her clockwork angel ticking frantically along to her heartbeat. What if what had happened last night was a dream?

Tessa breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the glittering pot, and lifted the compartments for the note.

It was there.

Trying to hold back another smile, Tessa indulged herself with a little of the cream, and awaited her maids to come and prepare her for the day.

Not all the Selected were present yet, and Tessa sincerely hoped that they were not going to wait for everybody to come in before serving, or else she would end up doing something she would regret later.

Where was Sophie?

In the following minutes, around ten more girls arrived, taking their seats, and then a very worried looking Sophie.

Sophie took a seat next to Tessa.

"What's wrong?"

Sophie took a breath, and then whispered, "There have been rumors, rumors that-,"

The doors opened and platters of bread and toast landed on the table. Bacon and eggs, poached, scrambled, and hard-boiled, followed suit. Butter and jams appeared as well.

It was a less formal affair compared to the dinner on the first day, but still nonetheless extravagant.

Servants poured tea and coffee, and the sudden aroma of food made Tessa uncontrollable. As ladylike as possible, she filled her plate and began to eat.

Taking a sip of coffee, Tessa turned to Sophie. "What were you saying?"

Sophie had not moved to touch any of the food. "There are rumors that the Prince sent some girls home already."

Tessa almost choked on a piece of bread. She gulped down the coffee, and recoiled because it was scalding.

Covering her mouth with a napkin, Tessa surveyed the table. Indeed, it did not look as full as it had on the first night. She counted, and there were eight girls missing.

Eight members of the Selection. Gone. Eliminated already. Prince William was serious about finding a wife.

So they were already down to twenty seven girls.

Quiet murmurs were all around. So everyone knew. She tried to remember who was missing, but failed. There were simply too many girls, and she had missed out on the day before to take supper with Sophie. She vaguely remembered a freckled nosed blonde and a brunette but that was about it.

Suddenly breakfast did not seem so appetizing. But Tessa never wasted food, so she finished everything on her plate.

"Here at least have some toast," Tessa said to Sophie. "You are going to need the energy."

Sophie shook her head, but relented after Tessa's insistence.

A somber mood had befallen in the Lady's Apartment after decreased number of the Selected had made it possible for everyone to sit, but Tessa opted to stand, feeling too nervous.

A steward announced the Queen, and she entered, swathed in plum skirts and simple pearls.

"Good morning."

"Good morning Your Majesty," the Selected chorused back.

Queen Linette gazed around the room, looking individually at each face.

"No doubt you have noticed the elimination," she said. "I was sorry to see them go, but Will was adamant. It was the most I have ever seen him serious," she added with a small chuckle. But her smile disappeared and she became formal again. "But I hope you know that he and the rest of us are absolute about the Selection and we hope that you will take this seriously as well."

There were a few nods and muttered "Yes Your Majesties."

The Queen's smile returned and she spoke, "No doubt all of you are curious of today's schedule." She unfurled a long sheet of paper tightly coiled in ribbon. "But before I announce it, I am going to tell you a bit about how this Selection will come about."

She read from the paper.

"_This Selection will have no time limit, so it can take up to a few months to hopefully not, years. _

_Any evidence found of deliberate sabotage or any other kinds destruction and violence will result in immediate elimination._

_For the duration of the Selection, the only courting allowed will be by the Prince. Any romantic relationship with other than the Prince is forbidden._

_The laws of Idris still affect the members of the Selection, and they will not be exempted from the consequences decreed by the law._

_Family members of the Selected will receive reimbursement from the Crown during their time in the Selection._

Tessa's thoughts briefly flickered to Nate. She wondered how he was faring.

_At the final ten, the remaining Selected will be bestowed with the official title of Lady, and assume all the status and benefits of the nobility, and become a Shadowhunter._

This was a surprise. Gasps and excited murmur passed throughout the Lady's Apartment.

_And finally, the winner of the Selection will assume all titles of the Crown Princess of Idris and be wedded to the Prince. _

Queen Linette finished with a flourish. "Are there any questions?"

A cacophony of "No, Your Majesty," filled the room. Tessa straightened attentively at the Queen's next words.

"Now onto today's schedule," she said as she pulled out another piece of parchment from somewhere in her skirts.

Tessa gazed curiously at the folds of the Queen's dress. Just where would there be space to put something as thin as parchment and not have it come out wrinkled? The skirts? A secret pocket that connected to the petticoats and crinoline?

Tessa had, in her rare moments of spare time, once read a novel about a lady spy, traversing the treacherous claws of assassins and suitors alike with her delicate dress and ruby lips. Not that there was anything delicate about that particular heroine. She could singlehandedly take out six grown men with her sharps hoops and her bare hands!

A woman like that would be ostracized from the genteel society, deemed inappropriate and barbarous. Which was ridiculous. She could bet that most men could act that way and get away with it.

Tessa could not help but look up to strong women. Women who took no nonsense from the thickheaded men and took matters into her own hands.

But back to the current matter at hand.

Unaware of Tessa's spontaneous thoughts, Queen Linette rattled off the day's schedule.

"Half of you will be following me around the Palace for a grand tour, while the other half will remain here to undertake lessons of the duties of a Princess." She gestured, and a slightly graying woman in a light green dress covered with lace patterning along her décolletage entered the room.

Queen Linette introduced the woman as Lady Edella Highsmith. "Lady Edella will be in charge of all of your lessons. She will be making sure to teach you how to act in formal dinners with foreign dignitaries, more on Shadowhunter politics, and to how not offend that one self-centered Lord," she said with a chuckle, sharing a smile with Lady Edella. "In fact," Queen Linette said proudly, "Lady Edella was responsible for teaching King Edmund and myself, as well as Will, Cecily and Jem. Since at least some of us are not scatterbrained fools, I think it is safe to say Lady Edella is a sound teacher," the Queen joked.

Most of the tension for the earlier elimination left the room, and all the Selected, including Tessa, had some form of a smile on their faces.

But the Queen sobered up and said, "These lessons are a matter of utmost importance. One of you will become Queen one day, and when you do, you have got to know what you are doing."

And suddenly everyone was reminded of the stakes, and Tessa shuddered to see the expressions of some of the girls.

o.O.o

Tessa had been placed at lessons first, so she endured two hours of how Jonathan Shadowhunter had fought in the Crusades and eventually established Idris and became its King to the foundation and laws of Idris. Although the current Herondale family did not have the surname of Shadowhunter, they were directly related to King Jonathan I.

An interesting fact that Tessa had forgotten about was that the title of the monarch of Idris was passed onto the eldest child of the ruler, not necessarily the male child. Which led to Tessa vaguely remembering the dead Princess, Ella. She was the eldest Herondale child, and the next in line to the throne. But something happened to her, and the whole country mourned the loss of what could have been a brilliant Queen.

Tessa shook the melancholy thoughts from her head, and focused on the words of Lady Edella.

Sophie was in the tour group, and after the first round of both respective activities were done, the Selected had a brief break for lunch. It was a simple affair, with boisterous noise. Everyone seemed to be telling their experience of their activities, and Tessa, whose head was nearly exploding from all the knowledge gained in the lessons, found herself longing to see the Palace after Sophie's excited stories.

After lunch, Tessa found herself being lead away to the inner workings of the Herondale Palace. It was enormous! Because of the restricted time, Queen Linette was forced to spend only a few minutes in each room.

The Ballroom was glorious, with its sparkling chandeliers and intricate panelling depicting a similar vision found in the library where she had her meeting with the Prince. And to Tessa's delight, there were apparently three libraries found in the Palace.

The one Tessa already visited was called the Mortal Library, and it rivaled the top libraries in the world. Many scholars and scientists seeked to study here, and it was considered as a place nearly anyone could enter. The other two were more discreet. One was reserved for the use of the royal family and the other was lost and no one alive knew where it was. Tessa's mind could not dwell on the mystery, as she was whisked to more and more places.

The Palace was divided into four Wings, each called the North, South, East, and West. The North and East were mainly used for rooms, but there was no set boundary and everything was all over the place. Queen Linette also described that there were several underground floors, but those visits were not included in this tour.

The tour finished with an hour to spare before dinner, and by that time, Tessa was exhausted. She plopped onto one of the plush couches in the Lady's Apartment, too tired to care about manners. The other Selected copied Tessa. Some decided to retire to their rooms, but Tessa used this time to find her way back to the Mortal Library.

After managing to run into three dead ended hallways and one room covered in drapes, Tessa finally found the Library.

The sheer size of it never failed to take Tessa's breath away, and it was no different this time. Her first two visits were cursory, and Tessa intended to firmly explore all parts of the Library before supper.

But first, she needed books.

Tessa hesitantly walked over to a stern-faced woman manning a large circular desk in the center of the Library. She noticed that the woman was not present during her meeting with the Prince.

"Hello?" Tessa spoke timidly.

"Yes?" the woman replied in a austere voice, while her eyes did not leave her ledger of sorts. Her voluminous bun was impeccable, and her high collared dress was embroidered with small floral accents.

"Excuse me, but can you help me find some books?"

Only then did the woman look up. She stared Tessa down, and her gaze was calculating as she eyed Tessa up and down.

Feeling uncomfortable, Tessa blurted, "My name is Te-."

"I know who you are," the woman interrupted. "You're a part of that horse circus that Linette and Edmund are making William go through."

Tessa was flabbergasted. Either this woman was on personal terms with the royal family, or she had a healthy amount of disrespect for them. She was also damnably good at making people feel uneasy with her hawk-like eyes and casual posture.

Carefully, Tessa said, "It may be a horse circus to you, but some of us regard this Selection with serious intentions to become the Prince's wife and rule with him one day."

The woman cocked her head, her eyes taking on a new light.

"You are different from the rest of them."

"Pardon me?"

This time, the woman scanned Tessa more thoroughly, and she felt like a piece of china being inspected for imperfections and cracks.

"You said 'Prince's wife'. Not Princess, or Queen or whatever those foolish girls daydream about all day." The woman picked up a pen and scribbled something into her ledger.

"So how does that make me different from the rest of the Selected?" Tessa inquired.

Not looking at Tessa again, she said lightly, "Maybe you care more about jewels and silk?"

She reached for a stack of books near her and tossed the first one to Tessa.

Tessa took a look at the cover. _Great Expectations_ by Charles Dickens. She had read this book, albeit a long time ago, but it brought back familiar memories.

The woman seemed to be done with Tessa, and was studiously ignoring her as she went about her duties.

Tessa sighed, suddenly feeling very tired. Not wanting to get into another battle of cryptic words, she mumbled a thank you and quickly exited the Library. Exploring would have to happen another day.

"Was that enough for you William?" the woman said without looking at the Prince as soon as Tessa had left.

His arms were perched on a veranda as he looked down the floors to the woman he had known his whole life.

"Not really. You did not have to scare her so much, Solis," Will drawled.

Solis fixed her piercing gaze on Will. "I do not think I scared her," she said matter-of-factly.

Will jumped and landed like a cat on the floor. He bounded up to the desk, his short black cape billowing. His eyes were almost feverish, and he grasped Solis' hands urgently.

"What do you think of her? That Tessa?" Will whispered, his eyes luminous.

Solis pulled her hands out of his grasp with surprising force, and gave Will a glare.

"Why, you should not be asking that question to me William. Are you already attached to that girl?"

Will sat down cross legged on the floor, contemplating the question.

"I don't know. She…." Will exploded with a sudden barrage of words.

"The moment I set my eyes on her, she seemed so familiar. Like, I felt a strange sensation in my stomach, if was traveling up me, all the way to my head and overloading my senses. For that single moment, I could not breath, and her eyes seemed to entrap me, like a fly in honey. And when she snapped at me for what I said….."

Will wondrously shook his head. "I have no idea what to make of Theresa Gray."

"You can continue your sappy love story somewhere else Your Highness," Solis said, inspecting the cover of a book.

"But Solis," he whined while taking a look at the book Solis had been inspecting and tucking it in the crook of his arm.

"Look, Your Highness," Solis began, straightening up a stack of large leather-bound books. "You are either unaccustomed to the sudden influx of women in the palace, or you are developing an attraction for that Gray girl, which I do not think is wise, because if your interest in her is temporary, then you are just wasting everyone's time."

Solis planted her hands firmly on the desk and locked eyes with Will. "This is not just about you. We are talking here about the future of Idris. Whoever you chose, you will stay with her for the rest of your life. You will share a bed with her every night, she will bear your children, and you will rule this country with her."

Will blinked owlishly, and replied softly, "I know, Solis. I know. By the Angel, I know!" He grasped his hair agitatedly.

Avoiding Solis' eyes, he whispered, "I miss Ella." His joking demeanor vanished.

Solis felt a familiar stab of pain. She always did when she heard her name.

And Will never brought up his dead sister.

"She was meant for this role. Not me." Will clutched the fabric of his shirt tightly. "I never wanted to be King. So why was she taken from us?" He angrily threw down the first thing he could find, a stone vase.

It managed not to shatter, but Will was beyond caring. "She reminds me of her, Solis."

Solis stayed quiet, and Will continued.

"Tessa. Her mannerisms, her personality, and now her apparent liking for books!" Will turned his pained face to Solis. "I cannot talk about this to anyone, not even Jem. He would not understand. No one would. No one knew Ella like us," he said with a broken sob.

"So you think that the only reason you are attached to Theresa is because she reminds you of Ella?"

Solis' words felt like a slap to Will's face, and he flinched.

"No. Yes. I DO NOT KNOW!" he yelled in frustration.

"Then find out. Because if you continue feeling this way, you are not the only one getting hurt in the end."


End file.
